Migrants Killed As Boat Runs Aground Off Italian Coast

8/10/2013 10:14 AM ET

The bodies of six persons, apparently killed in a shipwreck, were recovered off the Italian coast near Sicily on Saturday, media sources revealed.

The deceased were among a group of migrants traveling in a boat en route the Italian port of Catania. The occupants of the boat, of whom 100 have been rescued, were thrown into the sea when the vessel ran aground.

The boat was reportedly carrying 120 passengers, including women and children, whose nationality has not been confirmed.

In recent months, Italy has witnessed illegal immigrants in large numbers, largely from the sub-Saharan region and the crisis-stricken Syria, trying to enter the country. Last year, hundreds of asylum seekers died or went missing while trying to enter Europe.